Azerbaijan, Russia discuss new perspectives of cooperation in food safety field

A delegation led by Goskar Tahmazli, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency (AFSA), made a business visit to the Russian Federation. During the visit, the AFSA Chairman met with Sergey Dankvert, head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation ("Rosselkhoznadzor"), Azernews reports.

During the meeting, discussions were held on food safety, plant and animal health, increasing agricultural exports from Azerbaijan to the Russian Federation this year, and cooperation between the Azerbaijan Food Safety Institute (AFSI) and the relevant Russian institutions.

The discussions focused on agreements and memoranda of understanding on cooperation in plant quarantine and protection, veterinary and phytosanitary control, and the fight against transboundary animal diseases.

Chairman Tahmazli emphasized the importance of measures taken in the fields of food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary control between the relevant institutions of the two countries, and the necessity of joint action to combat transboundary animal diseases. He highlighted the importance of strengthening these relations and ensuring biological safety.

Dankvert expressed satisfaction with the developing cooperation between AFSA and "Rosselkhoznadzor." He noted that more efficient organization of relations in the field of food safety and the expansion of these relations have led to an increase in the export of agricultural products from Azerbaijan to the Russian Federation and ensured more effective control over this process.

The achievements resulting from mutual cooperation were also addressed during the meeting. It was reported that the equivalence of the approval systems for food establishments between the two countries was recognized and cooperation on the registration of high-risk food production facilities was expanded. Additionally, an agreement was reached on the export of high-risk food products produced in Azerbaijan to the Russian Federation as a result of the meeting between the heads of AFSA and "Rosselkhoznadzor."

Detailed discussions were held on the export of high-risk food products produced in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic to Russia. A general agreement was reached on the export of these products, and it was noted that this would not only expand the access of food enterprises in the Autonomous Republic to international markets but also create wide opportunities for the development of the food industry.

Tahmazli stressed the significance of the close cooperation between the Azerbaijan Food Safety Institute and several institutions and research centers of the Russian Federation. Within the framework of cooperation with the "Federal Center for Animal Health" (FGBI "ARRIAH"), it is planned to organize epizootiological monitoring of particularly dangerous animal diseases in border countries, develop a control program for foot-and-mouth disease and rabies, and conduct scientific risk assessments of particularly dangerous animal diseases. Trainings have been organized with the participation of Institute employees, and the Central Veterinary Laboratory of the Institute successfully participated in proficiency tests for foot-and-mouth disease organized by the "Federal Center for Animal Health."

It was noted that within the framework of cooperation between the relevant institutes, joint scientific-practical seminars and trainings on combating infectious animal diseases, protecting animal and human health, information exchange on food safety and epizootiological status, and existing legislative acts in the countries, as well as the implementation of joint scientific research projects, will further expand the achievements.

It was reported that 74 vaccine samples produced in Russia against animal diseases were subjected to laboratory tests in Azerbaijan and their compliance was confirmed. Tahmazli expressed gratitude to Dankvert for his proposal to gift SAT-2 vaccines from the Russian Federation for vaccinating animals against foot-and-mouth disease in border areas, and for his efforts and practical activities in developing cooperation between the two organizations. He stated that these actions would facilitate the increase of trade turnover between the two countries. He emphasized that import and export operations of food products would be conducted more efficiently and promptly in the future under mutual cooperation and trust.

During the meeting, Tahmazli expressed confidence that the appointment of Oksana Lut as the new Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation would contribute to the development of mutual cooperation and wished her success in her endeavors.

Dankvert positively assessed the current state of cooperation between the two organizations in the fields of food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary control, expressing confidence that the work being carried out in these areas would contribute to the increase of trade turnover between the two countries.

Other issues of mutual interest were also addressed during the meeting.